In my opinion, the scammer who attacked me on Facebook gave himself up in the first sentence, but there should be no doubt: this scheme works. Those selling anything on a popular platform can be targeted wholesale, it only takes a little time, and if even one in ten swallow the bait, the scammers have “made money.”
Once you lose your money, no one will help you – the scammer or group of scammers usually operate from abroad and disappear before anyone can find them. The police will discontinue proceedings due to failure to detect the perpetrators, if you decide to report the loss at all.
The rest of the text is below the video
This caught my attention immediately
This is a common mistake among scammers (or perhaps it’s due to the large number of ads being “handled”?), but it does not lead to disqualification. The first question from a buyer who responded to the sale ad was: “Hi, is the item in the ad still available and what is the price?” I found it strange that someone would ask the price clearly stated in the ad. but no problem. “Yes current.” I define the offer in a few words and the answer comes almost immediately. “Well, I’ll accept it,” Elizabeth writes, “but I’d like (“I want” or rather “I want”?) to come tomorrow, but I’m busy at work now. I’ll send a Chronopost postman to your house to tell you. I give you the money in cash and collect the item.
Chronopost… I don’t know this company, and I quickly checked online if there was such a thing. Yes, it exists, it’s a big company, although I don’t think it works in Poland, at least I haven’t heard of it. I check the profile of Ms. Ellie, who has been on Facebook since 2013 and has 1.4k followers. Followers. The profile inspires confidence, but the whole situation does not.
However, I ask: “What is a chronopost?” The answer comes after just a moment: “Let me explain, a Chronopost agent will come to your house to give you an envelope with your money in it, and once they verify your money, give them the item so they can ship it to my house.” “.
I no longer have any doubt that someone is writing from a stolen Facebook profile, or perhaps one that has been carefully “cultivated” over the years. The deal is for a bike of great value – such things are not delivered to the courier, just like that. Bicycles can be sent, but it’s a bit of a hassle, you need a special box or bag, and you need to prepare it. The word ‘topic’ still appears in the ad – so it’s a pasted, pre-made format. But the conversation progresses: “Are you available tomorrow any time?”
The scammer asks for data, but nothing private
Elizabeth asks me for my name, title, mailing address and also my email address. I provide an approximate address and a “backup” email address. I’m waiting for someone to ask me for some money – there was bait (a promise to buy the equipment at the asking price), there had to be a catch. Here comes the catch:
“Well, the shipping costs are my responsibility, but there is an insurance cost on the envelope that you have to pay, but don’t worry about that, I will add it to the original total, okay?” Of course it’s okay.
Chronopost comes to sacrifice…
“Stay in touch – advises the buyer or buyer – I will contact the service. I will keep you informed, because the email address is used for notifications that the Chronopost Express service will send you for instructions to follow. ” And after a while (how quickly it is): “Check the mailbox Check your email address for spam or unwanted mail, because Chronopost has informed me that it will send you a notification with instructions to follow, right?”
I extend the fun a little, and try to pretend I’m Greek: “I don’t understand anything.”
“Did you receive your CHRONOPOST service invoice via email?” Ella asks – and I say yes, but there is a link to click, but no invoice. There is already a link, but I don’t have the courage to click on it. I don’t want to know if this is a redirect to some payment service or a virus that will wipe out my account.
In general, an email sent by an international company from the address “service chronopost” looks highly unprofessional. “Take a photo of the emails you received!” – demands Ella, who probably feels that the fish almost swallowed the hook, but she hesitates. I send a screenshot and after a while I receive comprehensive information:
The invoice from “Chronopost” did not look professional
“I’m explaining the situation to you, Chronopost only asks you to pay the courier insurance fee, which is PLN 470.93 to protect the courier during shipping. Therefore, I bet you PLN 470.93 more than the initial amount so that you do not lose a penny in the end. You have already paid the costs Shipping to Chronopost. The mail has already been shipped by Chronopost. All you have to do is pay the fees charged by Chronopost to receive it. Otherwise, please be aware that if you cancel the shipment, Chronopost will not refund the fees already paid to me. Thank you for your understanding and please keep me updated However, please note that the PLN 470.93 fee charged by Chronopost will not be lost, so you do not have to worry “Now I have to worry. Because I will lose money if you do not pay the required fee, PLN 470.93 which you pay for insurance costs. do you understand?”
Because of me, the buyer lost money. Should I feel guilty?
I actually feel a bit stupid. Someone paid for the international shipment, probably a large amount of money, and I don’t want to pay the small amount of PLN 470.93 that the buyer will return to me anyway…
I didn’t want to be rude and I didn’t want to completely scare off the buyer, so I explained to him, “I don’t like the look of this correspondence with Chronopost.” “There are a lot of mistakes I don’t like” Don’t trust him. Pick up this bike in person,” I write to Eli, or rather to the person using the chic profile “Elizabeth Cobain.”
At this point I feel the heartbeat and the conversation ends.
Facebook warns of scammers
It must be recognized that when a customer contacts an advertiser, Facebook sends a warning against scammers. When we expand the link, situations are displayed indicating that we may be dealing with an attempt to extort money or data. The other thing is that scammers constantly change scenarios to escape security measures and warnings.
However, the established mechanism of online theft is almost always the same: to get what was promised, you first have to pay something.
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.
